How to control those pesky Aphids in the pond...
Sometimes I don't know which question people ask me the most.. I know it's either How do I get rid of Aphids or How do I get rid of Algae. I will go over several safe ways of eliminating aphids in your pond.
Aphids on waterlilies and Lotus seem to be one of the biggest problems pond owners face. I receive hundreds of emails asking how to rid them from the pond.
Before I go into methods of controlling them I will give a bit of background on these pesky critters.
Winged Aphids can be either Male, Female or Hermaphrodites (both Male and Female). Aphids without wings are usually Hermaphrodites and are born pregnant. Since they are usually born pregnant one can lead to thousands in a matter of days.
Aphids will usually over winter in trees which is why we always seem to find them again in the spring without notice.
Here are a few simple and easy ways of eliminating them from your pond.
The first way to deter aphids is to position your pond away from any trees and have it located in full sun. Aphids prefer shade so a sunny location will help to deter an infestation.
Aphids are attracted to plants with soft flesh and leaves. Keeping these types of plants away from your pond will also help deter them.
Aphids can easily be sprayed off of your aquatic plants with a good spray of water from the hose which will knock them off the pads of your lilies and lotus. While this method is one of the most effective you need to be diligent to keep up with it every day until you notice they are gone. The aphids will soon learn that the location they have chosen is not to their liking and they will eventually stop returning. Many of the ones you are able to spray off the pads will also drown but these critters are very light bodied and can walk on water so you will need to keep up with the spraying.
Another really effective method is by manual removal. If you have an all out infestation you can remove all the affected pads and throw them out. Your waterlily will grow back new pads and will be no worse for the ware. I would not recommend this with lotus or other aquatics however. Lotus can drown if you remove the pads prematurely or you could kill the whole plant.
Another type of manual removal is what I call the "Squish method". If you happen to be squeamish you can wear a pair of rubber or latex gloves.
The final method I use is my home made Aphid Spray. ***Warning*** Do Not spray on a windy day to avoid getting solution in your eyes and do not spray when the sun is out. The sun will magnify through the solution and burn the pads. Only spray in the early morning or at dusk.
This recipe makes one litre or two pints of solution.
Mix 1/8 cup of 10 Volume Hydrogen Peroxide, 1/8 cup of Rubbing Alcohol and 8 drops of Phosphate Free liquid dish soap. Top with water to make two pints or one litre of solution.
Fill a spray bottle with the solution and spray your affected plants until the aphids are completely drenched. Leave the solution on for 30 minutes and then rinse off thoroughly.
This solution is safe for use with fish but I would recommend removing the affected plants if possible during treatment.
The Rubbing Alcohol evaporates quickly so it will not cause any damage, The Hydrogen Peroxide will provide elevated oxygen levels in the water during treatment so it also does not cause any damage. Some dish soaps still contain Phosphates so you should check the label on your soap before using in your pond.
Cheers,
Sean
